Many times idleness is cited as a key contributor to the youth engaging in alcohol and drug abuse. They say an idle mind is the devil's workshop, and this is true. When young people are idle they tend to take drugs to feel high and get rid of boredom or to pass time.
The government has been on the front line to ensure youth don't idle as this could lead to other immoralities apart from drug abuse.
One of these ways is the promotion of the scouting movement in Kenya which is ranked sixth in the world with more than 1.4 million boy and girl scouts with a support team of over 40,000 Scout Leaders.
Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement. It employs the Scout method, a programme of informal education with an emphasis on practical outdoor activities, including camping, woodcraft, aquatics, hiking, backpacking and sports.
Drug prevention today calls for new tactics. Existing approaches that target youth in schools are ineffective and sometimes even backfire when youth rebel against the adult authorities with whom they feel no connection.
What is needed are more creative methods that do not necessarily include hierarchical structures. Consultative processes are appealing because they include the voices of both youth and their adult counterparts.
They ensure youth participation, which is a fundamental quality of any drug prevention programme. Young people are assets to the community who can make positive and long-lasting contributions when the opportunity arises.
Society is beginning to recognise and appreciate their capabilities, but it is still hesitant to accept them as active citizens.
Scouting presents the youth with opportunities to participate in programmes, events, activities and projects that contribute to their growth as active citizens. Through these initiatives, young people become agents of positive change who inspire others to take action.
Joining a sports team or academic club is a strong deterrent to drug abuse, according to the United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention.
Research shows that being part of a team leads to improved self-esteem, the ability to handle stress more effectively and productively, better academic performance and a healthier relationship with family members.
Playing sports also helps to instil respect for one’s body, while academic pursuits instil respect for the mind.
Encouraging youth to help others by volunteering is a great way to help them stay drug-free. A study published in the Journal of Youth and Adolescence found that rural teens who engaged in prosocial behaviours that help other people were less likely to use drugs than their non-volunteering counterparts.
When teenagers aren’t engaged in positive activities – or don’t have access to them – they are more likely to experiment with alcohol and drugs, and at an earlier age.
It starts at the community level. Making a positive contribution to society becomes habitual. Likewise, the thought of doing anything contrary to societal values, such as drug use, underage drinking, or criminal activity, becomes unacceptable in their minds.
Manager Corporate Communications-Nacada
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